Ezekiel 21:9

9 "Son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the LORD.' Say, '¹A sword, a sword sharpened And also polished!

Ezekiel 21:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 21:9

Son of man, prophesy and say, thus saith the Lord
Deliver out the following prophecy in the name of the Lord: say, a sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished;
it is not only drawn out of its sheath, as before, but is made sharp and bright, and ready for use. It is repeated, either to show the certainty of it, or to express the terror and anguish of mind on account of it; persons in distress generally repeating that which is the occasion of it. The Targum interprets it of two swords, the sword of the Babylonians, and the sword of the Ammonites; first the one was to be used, and then the other: this latter, Jarchi and Kimchi observe, was fulfilled by Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slaying Gedaliah, sent for that purpose by Baalis king of the Ammonites, ( Jeremiah 40:14 ) ( Jeremiah 41:2 Jeremiah 41:10 ) , but if two distinct swords are meant, I should rather think the sword of the Chaldeans, and the sword of the Romans, are intended. Cocceius, before observed, interprets it only of the latter; but Abendana both of the sword of the king of Babylon, and of the sword of the Romans.

Ezekiel 21:9 In-Context

7 "And when they say to you, 'Why do you groan?' you shall say, 'Because of the news that is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes and it will happen,' declares the Lord GOD."

8 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9 "Son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the LORD .' Say, 'A sword, a sword sharpened And also polished!

10 'Sharpened to make a slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning!' Or shall we rejoice, the rod of My son despising every tree?

11 "It is given to be polished, that it may be handled; the sword is sharpened and polished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 32:41